Four Obscure Office Secrets
by MBTandKT
Summary: ...And one that isn't. A joint fic from MrsBigTuna and ktface3.
1. Secret Genius or Complete Buffoon?

_**Disclaimer: We are in no way affiliated with NBC or Universal Inc. We are only loyal viewers of their programs. No copyright infringements are intentional.**_

_A/N: Here it is. The joint fic that you all have been waiting for… well, maybe not. LOL. This is the first of many fics brought to you by MrsBigTuna and ktface3. If you like to learn more about us, you can visit out writer's page or our individual pages. This was very fun to write and I hope you guys enjoy it as well._

_" How on Earth did Michael call my bluff? Is he some sort of secret genius?"_

Stanley thought this as he walked back to his desk, replaying the conversation he had with Michael in his head:

_"Michael... a word." Stanley looked over at Pam as she quickly left Michael's office. As he crossed the room, Stanley saw Michael on the verge of tears. He took a deep breath, regretting the words that were about to slip out of his mouth, " I changed my mind, I wanna keep this job."_

_Michael looked from his desk and held a twinkle in his eye, "Really?"_

_Stanley nodded reluctantly, "Really."_

_Michael crossed the room with conviction and embrace Stanley in his strong yet petite frame. "Thank you."_

Stanley couldn't put his finger on what exactly Michael had uncovered or discovered. He couldn't fathom the thought that Michael Scott outsmarted him. Michael Scott, his dimwitted boss who had the IQ of his one-year old niece's pinky finger. He couldn't comprehend the idea that someone with Michael's brain—or anyone for that matter—saw past his façade and saw his ploy for a pay raise instead.

As he looked across the office, Stanley glanced at the faces of his coworkers, wondering if he would have actually had a new set of faces to grow accustomed to, a new set of oddball creatures that sprouted from a place he never wanted to visit, a new desk buddy who talked incessantly about her plans with her new husband, or have to hear the rantings of a too gun-hoe employee vying for recognition that would never come, or a preppy who would never find the love that he searched for from his peers. He wondered what brought him here to this place where he was now, seated in this chair, and if he did leave it all, would he miss it?

What was bugging him the most was how his overly incompetent boss outsmarted him. He couldn't wrap his mind around that impossible fact. As he was looking at his desk, he saw a bill from his doctor's office, a notice of sorts, and it brought him back to a day of ill-fated healthcare plans, nano-robot infections, and unidentified surprises.

_Michael smiled as Stanley approached, "Here you go, Stanley the Manley." He handed him an ice cream sandwich. _

_" This isn't the big surprise, is it? Because we've been having a pretty horrible day. " Stanley sniffed the white package, not really sure what to make of it. _

_Michael looked nervous, " Uh, nope. Nope. This isn't the surprise. It's surprising, um... because you didn't expect it." He tossed another sandwich to Kevin, " But you will... you'll know it when you see it." _

_Stanley nodded and headed to reception. "You think this is the surprise."_

_Pam looked up from her computer, "Definitely."_

Stanley shook his head at the memory, convinced that Michael knew exactly what he was doing. Who in their right mind would put Dwight in charge of picking the healthcare plan? The only answer was that Michael knew that Dwight would cut costs and save the company thousands with none of the blame on him, everyone would just blame Dwight, per usual.

Stanley sighed exasperatedly at his life and at the people around him. How had he let this charade go on for so long? Has Michael outsmarted him in other things too? As he looked at the bill again, he noticed a picture that had made its way from Phyllis' desk to his own. He lifted it and recognized it was from their last Dundies Awards show at Chili's. It was a picture of Phyllis, Ryan, Pam, Jim and himself, showing nothing but smiling faces. He couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculous display that Michael had put on that night. Memories of gray hoodies, bad impressions, drunken speeches and Awesome Blossoms flooded his mind.

_Michael stood in front of the crowded corner of the local Chili's, swaying a bit from the hot lights, " This is the fine work award. This goes to Stanley, for all the fine work he did this year." _

_As Stanley approached the front of the group, Pam and Jim were chanting, "Speech. Speech. Speech. Speech." _

_He couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at his award. He smiled and cracked a simple joke, " Well, well, last year, I got great work, so I don't... So, I don't know what to think about this award. But at least I didn't get smelliest bowel movement like Kevin." He looked at the crowd again and realized that he was actually having a good time. _

As Stanley looked at the picture, he couldn't help but smile. He really did have a nice time that evening with his coworkers. He remembered the offensive jokes and the speech by a certain drunken receptionist and knew that he would never admit to anyone that he held that as a fond memory. But what else got him was the fact that Michael again had pulled another unexpected ploy to have his way in the end. He had Stanley enjoy an office gathering. Dammit.

Stanley having realized this fact tossed down the picture and tried to distract himself from the thoughts of his boss. He was searching for a file for a client when he stumbled across a coupon for Chili's that Michael gave him months ago. He shook his head at the memory of a cancelled Halloween party and procrastination at its best.

_Dwight walked up to Stanley, " Stanley, could you come with me, please." _

_Stanley looked up from his phone, "No." _

_Dwight hung up Stanley's phone, "As assistant regional manager—"_

_Stanley smirked, " To the—"_

_Dwight looked stern, " Look. I've got some bad news. You're fired. You need to pack up your things and go." _

_Stanley started laughing. Dwight tried to keep his composure, "I'm serious, Stanley. It's over, I'm sorry." _

_Stanley laughed, "'You're fired.' Get your fingers off my phone." Dwight obliged as Stanley laughed harder. Phyllis started laughing as well. _

Stanley shook his head at the memory, another memory of Michael trying to pass his obligations to Dwight, and eventually being successful in the end. Stanley couldn't understand how Michael had been so inconsiderate and thoughtless, yet found a way to get out of his many situations. There must have been something that Michael knew that his employees didn't, but what could that be? Diverting his attention to the file cabinet near Phyllis' desk, his eyes landed on a ticket stub, 'Booze Cruise: Lake Wallenpaupack'. He rolled his eyes, thinking about freezing temperatures, motion sickness and an ill-fated dance contest.

_Stanley came walking into Michael's office. Michael looked up, "Yeah?"_

_Stanley looked perturbed, "Michael..." _

_Michael chuckled, "Stanley...bo banley." _

_Stanley rolled his eyes, "I need to know—" _

_Michael continued, "Banana fana fo fanley. _

_Stanley sighed exasperatedly, "What we're doing." _

_Michael tried to keep a straight face, "Me mi mo manley." _

_Stanley was getting more annoyed, "You said bring a toothbrush." _

_Michael finished, "Stanley."_

_Stanley sighed again, "Is this an overnight?" _

_Michael shook with glee, "Maybe. The suspense is just so exciting, isn't it?" _

_Stanley was starting to lose his composure, "Should my wife tell her boss she's not coming in tomorrow?" _

_Michael was stifling a giggle, "Maybe, I don't know." _

_Stanley was even more upset, "Not maybe, yes or no." _

_Michael straightened up, "Well, no, but...okay, don't spoil it for everybody. All right? But, we...are going on a booze cruise on Lake Wallenpaupack."_

_Stanley was stunned, "In January?" _

_Michael looked disappointed, "It's cheaper."_

Stanley rolled his eyes at that disaster of a trip. He recalled everyone being drunk and vomiting. A drunk Roy setting the date for a wedding that never came, Dwight steering a wheel that was attached to nothing, and his wife wishing she stayed at home. But what he remembered most of all was Michael's analogies to the ship and the office. He remembered how ridiculous they were and how no one really cared about what was going on, like the actual office, and in that way, Michael made a connection. It really didn't matter where you take the employees, as long as they did their part, they would act accordingly. Stanley couldn't believe that in some strange way, Michael made sense.

Becoming even more flustered with his discovery of his boss, Stanley tried to keep his mind away from such thoughts. As he was making his final calls of the day, he came across a photograph of Andy in his sumo suit. He sighed, exasperated that everywhere he looked he was reminded of Michael. As he tried to not think of that horrible day, memories of sand in his shoes, sumo suits, hot dog eating contests and a potential promotion began to float to his frontal lobe.

_Michael stood surrounded by his employees as the day was turning into dusk. He was giving another pep talk, "What does a great manager need most of all? Courage."_

_Stanley was annoyed by Michael's rantings, "How so?" Everyone looked at him and he straightened his demeanor, "I mean, sure thing, that sounds smart." He waved it off and gave up, "I can't do this anymore. I'm going to sit in the bus."_

Stanley shook his head, reminiscing on how ridiculous Michael had made him become, wrestling in sumo suits and vying for a position that he really didn't want. He simply didn't want anyone else in the office being his boss. He tried to wipe that memory of blue and red teams and him shoveling food into his mouth from his mind, but sadly it would be imprinted in his brain for many years to come. What he hated most was making a complete idiot of himself, and he realized that Michael had done it again. He made him turn into some kind of buffoon, making him do obscene acts and allowing him to get caught up in the action.

As he looked back on all the things that Michael had done to him and his respective coworkers, he knew that Michael was one of two things: a complete, incompetent moron or a sheer, utter genius. Hmm...

_"Sometimes I say crazy things."_

_More to come... I hope you enjoyed it so far and look out for an update soon!_


	2. Rivals or Friends?

_A/N: here's the second installment of our joint fic, 'four obscure office secrets.' The consensus is that we're both kind of disappointed with how little reviews we've gotten, so if you like this story, let us know! Everyone needs a little encouragement now and then. On to secret #2:_

"_False_. I do not miss him."

Dwight stared with a straight face at the camera crew. And for the most part, it was true. There were certainly less distractions with Jim gone: no pranks were pulled, no mocking was made, and Dwight found his productivity doubled without constantly being interrupted.

But soon, he began to doubt himself. With Jim gone, whom could Michael compare him to? How did he know Dwight was the most diligent worker at the branch without Jim's lazy work ethic to point to? With Jim gone, there were no slackers for Dwight to make an example of, and so he began to look for other ways to get noticed.

The first opportunity he had was at the Annual Northeastern Mid-Market Office Supply Convention. Jim would conveniently be there, and so Dwight saw it as a valuable opportunity to prove to Michael how good of a salesman he was. The first thing he casually asked Jim was if he had made any sales, but he was not expecting the answer he got:

"_Oh, hey, how's it going up there? Have you made any sales yet?"_

"_Yeah, sold about forty thousand."_

_He stood there, stunned for a split second, but then he realized Jim could be bluffing. "Shut up. That's impossible."_

"_No, it's not. I did. Yep." It seemed he was indeed being truthful, and so then Dwight felt the need to show him up._

"_Well, I did it too." It didn't matter to him if he himself wasn't being honest; all that mattered was saving face in front of his boss. He wasn't ever going to let Jim Halpert make him look lazy._

Next, with the support of his ladylove, he tried to get noticed for his management potential. He felt guilty going behind Michael's back to talk to Jan about taking over the branch, but he felt it would be best for the company if it were under his control. At any rate, it would certainly be the way to one-up that smooth-talking salesman in Stamford.

Needless to say, his plan backfired. How he had failed, he wasn't quite sure, but he knew now that Michael was indeed superior to him. And on top of being humiliated in front of the entire office, he was now stuck washing Michael's laundry for a year. No doubt this piece of scuttlebutt would get to Jim, and it ate Dwight up inside to be laughed at, even hundreds of miles away. He then thought up a new way to be proven superior: through coworker recognition.

And his opportunity came in the form of young Ryan Howard, now a junior sales associate at the company instead of a lowly temp. Dwight told the camera crew:

"_Ryan hasn't made a sale yet, but more importantly, he hasn't made an ally yet. Is he going to be a slacker-loser-wise-ass like Jim was? Or is he going to join the Dwight Army of Champions?"_

If Dwight saw himself as the leader of an army, then Ryan was about to go through basic training. In his tests, Dwight was to use the infamous Schrute beet seed metaphor, one that had been passed down through the farming generations. He would then prove to Ryan that it is better to stand together than to walk alone by taking him on the long lonely 'walk of loneliness'. And lastly, he would put him through the rigorous test of facing his fear. He didn't know what Ryan's fears were, but he figured having him wrestle his cousin, Mose, would suffice.

As it turned out, Ryan simply wanted to go on a sales call, and so they did. As Dwight expected, Ryan failed, mainly because he didn't take his initiation seriously. But Dwight decided to show empathy toward him, and even treated him to a beer afterward. He wasn't sure how Ryan saw him after that day, but he liked to think he gained an ally, and so he was one step closer to achieving his ultimate goal of proving he was a better man than his counterpart in Stamford.

Then, Dwight found that his day had finally arrived. Jim would be coming back, and so once again he could show Michael how industrious he was. Little did he know, he would now have someone even worse to deal with: Andrew Bernard.

Bernard quickly became the thorn in Dwight's side because he suddenly had someone else fiercely competing for Michael's attention. He knew he had to pull rank immediately before this man got out of control:

"_Hello, I don't believe we've been introduced. Dwight Schrute, Assistant Regional Manager."_

"_Andy Bernard, Regional Director in Charge of Sales."_

_He smirked and mentioned offhandedly, "So you'll be reporting to me, then."_

"_Umm, on the contrary." Not breaking their handshake, Dwight quickly calculated his next move._

"_My title has 'Manager' in it."_

"_And I'm a director, which on a film set is the highest title there is. Do you know anything about film?"_

"_I know everything about film. I've seen over 240 of them," he bragged, showing Bernard he wasn't about to back down. _

Dwight knew Andy was going to be quite a rival, but he was ready for a fight. It had been a while since he had felt so challenged, and it invigorated him.

But to both Dwight and Andy's surprise, Michael named Jim his number two. This was obviously a lapse in Michael's judgment, but Dwight was confident that Michael would see the error of his ways and award him the position of number two eventually. He made sure to take extra care of Michael's laundry for the next few weeks.

Time passed, and soon Dwight found that Andrew Bernard was even more of a threat than he previously realized. He was constantly taking up Michael's time, which made it difficult for Dwight to prove his worth. He found himself spending more and more time with his woman, and even helped her when she was in dire need of assistance. This however, made him late to work one day, and that one slip-up would ultimately lead to his downfall.

That day went on as usual, and Dwight found himself teamed up with Jim for a sales call. While he wasn't thrilled about his circumstances, at least Jim wasn't Andy Bernard. Over the years they had worked out a routine for sales calls. Jim would sit back and let Dwight use his tactics, and he had actually found subtle ways to compliment them nicely. They made the sale that day almost effortlessly, and Dwight was oddly proud of the way he had worked together with Jim.

But somehow, Michael found out he had lied about why he was late that morning. Dwight was suddenly faced with an ultimatum: expose his love, or compromise his job. It pained him to make the decision he did, but after almost two months of battling Andy Bernard, he was tired of the fight and accepted defeat.

As he walked out the doors of the Scranton Business Park for the last time, he came face-to-face with the man he once called his adversary. Dwight now was able to realize that without having to prove anything, Jim's laid-back, sarcastic attitude had made him look better in Michael's eyes all along. He felt a sense of gratitude wash over him, and showed his fondness by engaging Jim in an affectionate, yet extremely manly hug. Jim seemed to be confused by his actions, but Dwight wasn't surprised. He knew in his heart what he could never tell:

He actually liked Jim Halpert.

_Like the story so far? Check: Yes or No._


	3. A Mother Goose Tale

_A/N: Okay, folks. Here is the third installment of the enthralling fiction, "Four Obscure Office Secrets". I just want to say thank you to those who have reviewed for this. You guys seriously rock. Now, to those of you who haven't: for shame. The ratio to hits to reviews are shocking so up the reviews and we might just update. LOL. Again, thanks to those of you have._

"_You're talking about you and Jim, right?"_

That's what Phyllis thought when Pam asked her about any office romances. Who else was she talking about? She couldn't think of any two people who were so made for one another. It was so obvious to her; she just couldn't see why no one else saw it, including them.

Her first inkling of the pair was during a conference room meeting. Michael had assembled the staff to partake in a cleansing breathing exercise that he saw on the Discovery Channel. It was Jim's first week working for Dunder Mifflin and he was still trying to grasp his new boss's mannerisms. Phyllis thought that he was a nice addition to the office and supplied something that the office was lacking completely, eye candy. He seemed to be getting along with most of the staff, all except for Dwight, whom got along with no one. What Phyllis noticed most was his interaction with Pam. They seemed to get along fancifully and it was someone for Pam to talk to, who constantly had to endure the full brunt of Michael. Poor girl.

As Michael started the exercise, Dwight was the only one participating, per usual. But the other employees joined in reluctantly, Jim and Pam stood next to each other, silently giggling at their coworkers, raising and lowering their arms and breathing loudly. As Phyllis was doing the exercise, she opened one eye and spotted Jim nudging Pam playfully to make her do the exercise. She couldn't help but smile at the spectacle. She never witnessed such an organic exchange between two people. What she noticed most was the smile that Pam held; one that Phyllis never saw when she was in the presence of her fiancé.

Her suspicions grew when she would witness their interaction whenever Jim decided to pull his daily prank on Dwight, which she had to admit was one of the highlights of her stall workday. She enjoyed how Jim would try to convince Pam to participate and how she knew that Pam inevitably would. She noticed when Jim would make his many trips to reception and nibble on her jellybeans, listening to their soft, playful banter. She noticed them playing 'Hangman' or 'I Spy' in meetings and the occasional enthralling match of tick-tack-toe. Eventually, she came to find that watching them was almost as good as watching one of her soaps.

She didn't want to encourage Pam to pursue in disloyal acts with Jim; she was engaged and that was wrong. She knew that Pam loved Roy, but whenever Pam was with Jim, whether they were in the break room during lunch or in the conference room in a meeting, she couldn't help but wonder what they could be if the circumstances were different. Before she could help it, she was becoming more and more invested in their relationship than need be. Her ears would perk whenever she thought she might have heard anything from either one of them. She tried to keep tabs on either one, making sure nothing was going on, but secretly wishing that it would.

As the years went by and Jim watched Pam stay with Roy, Phyllis empathized with Jim, feeling that Pam deserved more from Roy than what she was receiving. She felt that she and Pam had developed a close office friendship and could confide in one another. There were many times when Pam felt that she needed to come to Phyllis and discuss her issues at home with Roy. Often enough, Phyllis wanted to interject and tell her that if she felt mistreated, she should find someone who can treat her better. But like a good friend, she felt that Pam had to find out on her own. Eventually, Jim found someone to distract him from his burning desire to be with Pam, even if Phyllis was the only one who picked up on it. Katy was a nice enough girl, but Phyllis would often glance over at Jim and find him looking over at reception longingly at Pam, only leaving Phyllis' stomach in knots. When were these kids gonna get together?

_Jim leaned over the desk, "Pam, it wasn't her." _

_Pam stiffened, "What?!"_

_Jim spoke softer, "I'm the one who complained about you. I... I didn't know that Toby was gonna write it down. I was just venting. You know, it was one day. And I took it right back. It was like..." _

_Pam nodded stiffly, "Okay." _

_Phyllis looked downward, "Oh, dear."_

Phyllis knew it was only a matter of time when Jim's inner desires would eventually leak out into the open. No one can keep something like that locked away for a long time, although Jim did impressively well. As the days passed after that incident and the days drew closer to Pam's wedding, she found herself both excited and nervous. She loved the idea of a wedding in June and thought that if Pam was happy about getting married, then she would be happy for her and support her in her decisions, even though she didn't agree with them all.

What she worried most of all was how Jim was dealing with it all. She noticed that he tried to keep his distance from her throughout the day, making small talk with either Kelly or herself. She noticed that Jim stopped going up to reception as often as he once had and made plans for a trip to Australia when her wedding was taking place. She knew that the poor boy was going to hit the breaking point, but when?

Well… she got her answer on a Monday morning after the casino night fundraiser. She saw an empty desk where the lanky salesman once occupied. She figured he took up Dwight's suggestion to transfer to the Stamford branch and it was confirmed after making a quick call to Sally, another saleswoman from that branch. As she looked over at the once occupied space, she looked over at Pam and looked at the once radiant bride to find a gloom and friendless receptionist.

Over the following months of Jim's departure, the office found its own swing, marching to a different drum that wasn't guided by the quick-witted salesman. Michael eventually stopped complaining about Jim's betrayal and Dwight eventually stopped grilling Pam about possible pranks that Jim might have left Pam to carry out. Phyllis was making wedding plans of her own, but she couldn't help but want to make Pam feel better and not so lonely. She gave her advice about getting out there and let her help with the wedding plans. She knew that Pam enjoyed her company, but she also knew that there was only one person that could bring back the smile that was always present in his company.

Phyllis' prayers were answered when she got wind from Sally that the Stamford branch was closing and that several of the employees were moving down to Scranton to join that branch. Sally decided to retire early and start gardening, which she enjoyed, but she wanted to let Phyllis know that Jim was definitely coming back. Phyllis couldn't contain her joy when she heard and knew that she had to share the news immediately. Telling Pam that Jim was coming back was almost as exciting as telling Pam that Jim loved her. She knew that everything was gonna be better after all.

Seeing Jim back in the office brought some well-needed nostalgia to the place. She was able to have her eye candy back, but there was also another person in tow. Karen was a shock, but eventually became a pleasant surprise. She was very friendly and seemed to get along with Jim very well. As Phyllis watched Jim and Karen's interaction together, she realized that perhaps Jim was better off and moved on. She knew that Pam had missed him while he was away, but it was good for Jim to be happy too. He had suffered for so long and deserved to have some happiness. Although she felt overjoyed for Jim, she still felt that Pam and Jim's relationship needed some healing, knowing that they didn't leave on great terms, but hoping that eventually they would be supportive in each others lives, as they always had been.

"_He was hung up on Pam for such a long time. I didn't think he'd ever get over her."_

She didn't think that he would ever get over Pam. When someone loves another, you give part of yourself away, and she knew that Jim gave Pam all of himself, and was pretty sure he never got all of himself back. She knew that someone like Jim would put his whole heart and invest his heart into love, and eventually getting hurt in the end. She knew that that pain would take a long time to heal, if it ever healed, but she knew deep down that Jim would be forever affected by it. She felt it best to inform Karen, not in spite of Jim but felt that she deserved to know what she was getting herself into. She liked Karen a lot, she really did, but there was just this uncertainty that lingered with them, and deep down, she knew that Jim wouldn't be able to contain the inevitable for too long.

As the months went by, Phyllis' confession seemed to have an effect on Karen. She seemed to linger closer to Jim and separated herself from Pam as much as possible; also making sure that Jim did the same. What she also noticed that Pam seemed even more depressed than when Jim was in Stamford. She seemed like the light that once vacated her eyes was dimmed and her smile was slowly slipping away. Phyllis wanted to help her, make her feel that she wasn't alone, but she knew that no one could help her but herself. There were just some things that people had to do alone.

As summer drew and the possible promotion for Michael, Jim and Karen were approaching, Phyllis had noticed that Pam seemed to have more confidence in herself. She seemed more assertive at work and spoke up for herself in different instances. But nothing could have filled Phyllis with more pride than when she saw Pam speak her mind in front of everyone at the bonfire. She vocalized her anguish with her coworkers, her boss, and most importantly, Jim. She said how she felt and put the ball firmly in his court. Phyllis glowed with pride as she saw Pam show the world what she knew Pam held all along, courage.

After the interviews and Karen and Ryan's departures, the subtle hum returned to the office. Michael stopped complaining about Ryan's betrayal and Dwight dealt with his demotion and thrived in his solo day of glory as Regional Manager. It was an office hum that possessed the soft laughter from reception and a nice view of a certain salesman's fanny. It also possessed hushed whispers of potential lovebirds consummating a relationship that was long overdue. When the cat finally came out of the bag and Jim and Pam's relationship was finally confirmed, no one was happier than the one who knew all along. Naturally, she felt that Pam held the same spirit that she possessed and knew exactly what she would do if she had a piece of arm candy at her side like Jim...

"_I'm sorry, I couldn't see your hands."_

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_More to come. I hope you enjoyed this. This was really fun to wrote and I hope you feel the same_

_If you would like to read more from us, KT has a new fic, "Jellybeans and Wedding Bells. MrsBigTuna also has to stories out, "The Gift", which is on hiatus and a new fic, which will be available very soon._

_Again, please review. We will have a review ransom. Six, I repeat six reviews will get a new chapter posted. The ball is in your court, people!!! _


	4. Karen's Dangerous Liaison

_A/N: congrats, kids! You made it to six reviews, so as promised, here's the next secret:_

"_He's cute. You should date him."_

It was an innocent enough comment. Karen didn't think anything of it when those words escaped her mouth. She was a problem-solver, and while the relationship status of her new friend wasn't exactly a problem, she wanted to see her happy. Since she started working here, she noticed that Pam was kind of cold, but she was sure glad that they had teamed up to put together a Christmas party, because it gave her another chance to get to know her new coworker a little bit better.

On a second assessment, Karen decided Pam was just introverted, not 'cold' as previously thought. But she knew shy girls were less likely to get dates, so she wanted to encourage her any way she could to get her out there. Roy seemed nice enough. He was shy, like her, and only seemed to say the bare minimum. He was helpful though, assisting them with setting up for their party. Karen even thought she saw him give Pam a lingering glance when he left the break room, which made her all the more eager to persuade her to go out with him.

Later though, she realized Roy didn't need anyone else's help in trying to get Pam to notice him. He had bought her a Christmas gift, and gave it to her during the party. Karen smiled at how sweet the gesture was; he must've had to do a lot of snooping to find out she was into art, and then he even wrapped it up nicely too.She glanced down at the DVD of _Bridget Jones: the Edge of Reason_ sitting on her desk and her smile grew wider. Maybe some day Pam could be as happy as she was.

Her and Pam's friendship only seemed to grow after Christmas. Pam not only was a good friend, but also was someone she felt she could turn to when she was having problems in her own relationship. Karen wasn't quite sure how Pam had done it, but she had convinced her silly boyfriend that the world wouldn't end if Karen moved into an apartment two blocks away from him. She definitely wanted to show her gratitude:

"_I think I owe you one," Karen said knowingly as she walked up to her._

"_Sorry?"_

_She continued, a sly smile on her lips, "For talking sense into Halpert. The Day's Inn room 228 was starting to get really depressing."_

"_Oh, yeah, no. Don't worry about it. I mean, he was being ridiculous," Pam nodded in agreement._

"_Yeah, but... thanks. Seriously."_

"_Sure."_

Karen wanted her to know that she appreciated having an ally when it came to things like this. She obviously wasn't getting anywhere trying to convince him, so it turned out that a third party was exactly what she needed. Shortly afterward, she saw Pam talking with Roy near the inflatable palm trees; Karen wondered if they had become friendlier with each other since Christmas.

She soon found out why Pam seemed to have so much persuasive power over her boyfriend though, and she wasn't exactly happy with the reason. He had feelings for her. Even now, with Karen sitting right there with him, she could see his mind wandering to thoughts of her. This was certainly dangerous territory, but she wasn't afraid. He had told her that Pam already rejected him, and so once again, Karen saw a problem that needed fixing. Here was this poor, wounded man who didn't know when to quit, and so she would take it upon herself to help him heal.

That meant trying to stifle all contact with the girl she now realized he openly flirted with. That in itself was a blow to her dignity, and it hurt ten times as worse to have her dignity be taken away from her at work. At work, she tried to present herself with an air of refinement and composure, but she could hardly stay calm and cool while trying to monitor her boyfriend's every move. She forged on though, and had also been talking with him every night, trying to force him to move on and forget that part of his life. It was proving very difficult to get him to open up, but at least now he was too tired at work to concentrate on much of anything, especially the woman he still pined for.

But Karen wasn't satisfied with just trying to make him forget his past. She couldn't leave any stone unturned, and so she had to make sure there was no chance of reciprocated feelings from Pam. After all, they had shared a kiss, which is enough to make any woman wonder what could be. Karen had to be delicate when approaching this matter, and she had to keep the conversation nonchalant. Luckily they were still being friendly with each other, which made an opening for this exchange easy to find:

"_Hey um, I wanted to talk to you. I know this is weird or whatever, but Jim told me about you guys," Karen cringed at the awkwardness of the discussion she was starting into._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Well that you kissed. And we talked it through and it's totally fine, it's not a big deal. It's just a kiss." She watched Pam nod her head nervously for a moment and then had to ask, "Wait—you're not still interested in him?"_

"_Oh yeah."_

_Karen's eyes went wide, "Really?"_

"_Oh, no!" Pam shook her head, "I was confused by your phrasing. You should definitely go out with Jim—I mean, you're going out with Jim. I'm not going out with Jim. You're dating him, which is awesome, because you guys are great together."_

"_Okay."_

"_I'm not into Jim. Yeah…" she continued to protest, perhaps a little too much for Karen's liking._

"_So um, well good."_

"_Yeah... Sorry."_

"_What are you sorry about?"_

"_Um… what?"_

"_What are you sorry about?" Karen asked again, wondering if she was sorry for confusing her or for possibly lying to her._

"_Nothing. I was just thinking of something else…"_

It wasn't quite the dialogue she expected to have, but Karen was satisfied with it nonetheless. Pam did seem to have her pick of plenty of other men, including a Ben Franklin impersonator, so she didn't need to be chasing after any unavailable men. But Karen felt herself slowly being stretched thin from trying to influence Pam to go out with Roy, who she thought was perfect for her, as well as trying to convince her own boyfriend to give up on something he had his heart set on. It was tiring to keep tabs on all of them, but it all seemed to pay off at Phyllis' wedding.

She felt so safe in his arms, and she laid her head on his shoulder as they swayed to the music. She let herself close her eyes for just a moment to breathe in the scent of his musky tux that probably only saw the light of day for weddings and funerals. She was finally relaxed, and she smiled to herself as she thought of what she had seen not five minutes earlier: Pam and Roy had left together, hand in hand. Karen claimed herself victorious, and knew all the nonsense of the past few weeks were finally over. She was happy for Pam, and she was relieved everything had worked out in her favor. The song ended and her date excused himself to the bathroom, so she moseyed over to the bar where she found a tipsy Meredith and sweaty Kevin:

"_Man, it is hot under those lights," Kevin commented to the two of them as Karen ordered herself a white wine._

"_Did you see Pam and Roy leave together?" Meredith managed to hiccup, taking another swig of some kind of liquid concoction._

_Karen beamed, "Oh yeah! They are so cute together, don't you think?"_

"_Karen, Pam and Roy used to be _engaged_," Kevin told her with a sweaty, yet serious expression on his face. "Pam called off the wedding _three days_ before it was set to go down."_

This made Karen choke on her wine. All this time she had thought she was pushing Pam onto a shy coworker, but he had turned out to be her ex-fiancée. A range of emotions started lurching through her body at this realization, but the one she felt most of all was betrayal. Through all her long talks into the wee hours of the morning with her boyfriend, he had not once mentioned the fact that Pam was at one time engaged. Engaged to another coworker for that matter. Not even Pam herself had managed to reveal this fact, which almost hurt as much as Jim not revealing it to her. But it seemed like things were going to work out regardless, and so Karen tried not to worry as the reception went on.

For a couple weeks after the wedding, things seemed to be going well. The truth—the _whole_ truth—was out in the open, and in addition, Pam and Roy were together now. The thought now seemed a bit twisted to put them together, but Karen felt like it could work between them; there was familiarity there, and she didn't want to do anything to upset the delicate balance that had been reached.

And then Roy almost punched Jim in the nose. Karen was shocked by his actions, but at least she wasn't surprised as to _why_ it had happened. She told the camera crew:

"_When I heard Jim and Pam had kissed, my reaction was to have lots of long talks with Jim about our feelings. Roy just attacked him. I'm not sure which one Jim hated more."_

She wasn't stupid. Karen knew he didn't like discussing and having his emotions forced out of him, which is why she let the matter drop after the incident. He definitely knew where she stood on the matter of this little love triangle she found herself in, and so if he cared at all, he would try to make her happy and distance himself from the other woman. She was at least glad he chose to come to her when something was bothering him, like all his failed attempts to pay Dwight back for his bravery. Karen saw it as a sign of moving on, and so for a few weeks, there was equilibrium. She even had started being cordial with Pam again; after all, it wasn't her fault Roy overreacted.

But at their trip to the beach, Karen heard these words come out of Pam's mouth:

"_Jim, I called off my wedding because of you…"_

There it was. The final piece to the puzzle of what had transpired that had made her boyfriend move to Stamford, that made him want to keep holding on to something she didn't even think was there, and that made Pam act obligingly friendly toward her. She again felt pangs of betrayal that no one had had the guts to come up and give her the full story on what she was getting herself into, and she especially felt betrayed by the girl she had planned Christmas parties and joked about Ben Franklin with. And later she confessed she wasn't even sorry for what she had said at the beach!

Luckily, both Karen and Jim had the chance at a promotion, which implied that both of them would move to New York, away from what was causing their relationship so much strain. Karen had a lot of confidence that one of them would get the job and they would be able to leave Scranton forever, and so she didn't feel any more need to be polite to Pam. The next time the cameras were in the office, Karen made sure to tell them exactly what she thought of her "friend's" underhandedness:

"_Pam is... kind of a bitch."_

_This is the point where we'd like to shamelessly plug our individual stories. :-D MrsBigTuna has two new ones in the works: "The Trial", in which Michael gets called in for jury duty and the rest of the office has a trial of their own, and "Awkward Admiration", which is a poetic Pam/Toby fic… the title basically says it all._

_ktface3 has gotten back to work on "Milestones" after a short hiatus, and is also experimenting with a new fic, "Michael Scott: The Man, The Mind, The Enigma", in which his infamous talking heads are explored in very short, episodic bursts. She has the first season up and ready for reading!_

_Our next secret is the not-so-obscure one, and it's a pretty big one at that. In fact, we would say it's one of the biggest on the show. What is it? You can guess, but you'll have to wait until we get a total of _five_ reviews to find out for sure!! Don't let us down, people!!_


	5. Dwangela

_Okay, people. This is the end, friends. We had some laughs, some tears, some more than others… you know who you are. We have to say, when we, KT and MBT, first posted this, we were excited, but we were worrisome about the readership of our readers. But we just have to say, we have the best readers ever! You guys have been awesome with the reviews. So we bid you farewell until next time. Until then, fill free to read our independent works! _

Dwight was a prideful man. He kept himself groomed in his suits and his cotton shirts. He cut his hair weekly and made his appearance match his integrity in the workplace. He took pride in everything that he did, was doing or would do. He was bred from generations of hard working, steadfast folk. It was simply in his blood to give everything he could to the task at hand. In short, Dwight dedicated all of his acute brainpower to his duties. But nothing could have prepared him for the most difficult burden he ever had to endure: mending a broken heart.

Angela was a prideful woman. She kept herself well mannered and refined. She prayed daily and faithfully and kept the Lord in her home. She despised any behavior that was uncouth or promoted such demeanor. She retained an appearance at the workplace that was strictly appropriate and could only be looked upon as that and nothing else. She carried herself with a quiet confidence and gentle grace. She wanted her appearance to reflect her spirit and show her confidence that was hardly skin deep. She applied every ounce of her ferocity into her work. She was raised with a methodical work ethic and nurtured with a theological outlook on life. She wanted to do good onto others and show others to do the same. But the one person she had faith in the most, had failed her.

Their relationship was at best, unconventional. Dwight held an air of militant behavior and a bellicose attitude that was present in the office. Angela was formal and at times persnickety to anyone who seemed unworthy or who displayed an attitude that didn't match her own. These were two individuals that in most circumstances would never captivate or enthrall anyone. They were two people would seemed destined to be alone, until they found each other. The truth was, Dwight and Angela were one in the same. Their love seemed at times unnatural and immoral, but in the light of day seemed like the most logical thing in the world. They were destined to be together, however what trials or tribulations that might have faced, they were meant for one another. Unfortunately, the one thing that brought these two distinct characters together was also their downfall.

Angela and Dwight first realized their potential the evening of the big sale. Michael was at a business outing with Jan and a potential client for the better half of the day and well into the evening. The remaining office employees had kept their tasks at bay and were entertained by a screenplay that their hapless boss had created. Majority of the employees were delighted by Michael's storytelling skills or lack thereof and enjoyed how they portrayed the roles on the page. Angela thought it was idiotic to waste an entire day of work reading the rantings of their incompetent boss. She wanted to finish last quarter's expense reports, knowing that if the task wasn't finished that it would bother her for the rest of the evening. She was prepared to do just that when she heard Dwight perform his lines. She found herself allured by his performance, his confidence in the words that he spoke and his assurance of his talent. She couldn't help but tremble at his boldness and chuckle at his wit. She became more enthralled with every page until she saw the ill-fated text, 'Dwigt'. She was just as offended as he was. She couldn't see how this Samuel L. Chang character could even be compared to this gallant gentleman sitting before her. When everyone dispersed either toward the break room or the kitchen for intermission, Angela decided to test her own boldness and speak with Dwight. As Dwight was going down the stairwell that led to the parking lot, she stopped him.

_"Hello, Dwight." Angela tugged at her hem of her blouse. _

_"Hello, Angela." Dwight adjusted his glasses of his face, looking down at her. He suddenly became worried, "Is there a problem? You aren't hurt, are you?"_

_Angela shifted from one foot to another, shocked by her own awkward manner, "No, nothing like that. I... um... I just wanted to say that I enjoyed your performance in the conference room. You showed great aplomb." She nodded and inwardly cursed herself for her lack of discreet behavior._

_Dwight looked down at her and glowed, "Thank you, Angela. I appreciate your take on my performance." He kicked his foot at nothing in particular. She had her head down, nodding at his comment. He cleared his throat, "Angela –_

_"Yes?" She couldn't control her chipper response, knowing that deep inside, she indulged the simple twinkle in his eyes as he breathed out her name._

_Dwight adjusted his collar of his jacket to have something to do with his hands, knowing that all he wanted to do was wrap them around her waist. He couldn't understand why he was becoming so aroused by his coworker. He had always thought Angela was a more capable woman than most. Despite her small frame, she seemed capable of anything, including speeding his heart rate. He looked down at her again and for the first time he realized how exquisite her beauty was. "Um... I was just wondering if you would like to join me and watch my fireworks display."_

_Angela could feel her heart race even faster, wondering if there was a need for fireworks when she already felt them exploding within her. "That would lovely, Dwight. Thank you."_

As they both walked toward her car after Dwight and Kevin had polished off the remains of the explosives, Angela felt a calm wind breathe more life into the night. She was walking dangerously close to Dwight, fearing that if she got too carried away, she would reach out and hold his hand. She imagined what it would feel to have him hold her hand, knowing that even if it would be a simple gesture, she would feel safe. Before she knew it, Dwight reached out and took her hand.

He knew that he might have moved a little too fast for Angela. He knew that she had strict morals, which he respected, but to not touch her soft creamy skin seemed criminal. She was walking so close to him and as Kevin and him were lighting the fireworks, he could see the colors paint Angela's face and give her more light that the moon above them. As he watched her enjoy the display, he felt a sense of pride that he helped provide a small smile on her face, her angelic face. Angela, his office angel, who was there all along. Knowing that he wasted so many years pursuing Kelly, he missed the one thing that he had right in front of him. Knowing that he had many years of making up to do, he thought that he would start with a small gesture of his affection to her, holding her hand. Being able to hold her, even if it was just her hand, held more meaning that anything that he ever experienced: going to Comic-Con: 2002, making his first sale, discovering the best show known to man, receiving his first bobble head, none of those things compared to touching her hand. He knew that with that one touch, everything would be alright. As he opened up her door, he saw the same small smile on her face. As he went upstairs back to the office to wait for Michael, he knew that her smile would forever be etched in his mind, her sweet smile, _his_ smile.

After their relationship commenced, they had a deep understanding that it could not be exposed to the other employees. Michael and his catastrophic attempts of winning over Jan or Jim's ridiculous pursuit for Pam was evidence enough that having an interdepartmental relationship would destroy the balance of the office. For Dwight, he relished in the small moments they shared in conference room when he could look at the nape of her neck as she sat in front of him or the 'accidental' bumpings while passing either the kitchen or the break room. He enjoyed having a secret, almost a secret life where he could be steadfast and orderly at work and be tender and loving with his gentle creature. Knowing that he could admire her from afar and hold her in the heat of the night was enough for him to sleep peacefully for the rest of his days. Angela enjoyed watching Dwight do his daily tasks and his attentive manner to his clients. She admired his precision and it encouraged her to do better as well. He made her want to be better and take even more pride in her work and make her want to be affectionate. In the small moments during the day when she could feel his breath on her neck, she would hold on to that feeling for the rest of the day, knowing that her life was better.

They made sure every precaution was scrutinized and there was no way that anyone would be able to find out about them. They were several close calls, one in particular that happened at the beginning of their relationship. They were pretty sure that no one suspected anything but they knew that if anyone was to have a hold of that sensitive information, it would be detrimental to their relationship and to the office at large. Another close call was when Dwight had a concussion. Dwight's personality had altered to someone entirely different. Angela enjoyed seeing a different side of him at work, knowing that was the Dwight she knew and loved when they were in the comfort of his nine-bedroom beet farm. When she learned of his condition, she was so afraid that she would never see the straight-laced savior that she was so accustomed to and would have to help him find his way back. She was afraid most of all that Dwight would let slip their condition. She wasn't certain if Pam knew of their relationship, but was relieved when she overheard her speak to Oscar about Dwight's progress. If Pam was the only one who knew of her 'D', she could live with that.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"_No, right, no, no" Pam shuddered as she thought about what she had stumbled onto. "Ew, ew, ew…" And then she thought again, "Maybe…"_

In the strangest way, they were pretty perfect for each other. From the day she first met them, Pam had seen a power struggle: Angela wanting order and formalities, Dwight wanting respect and power. It made sense for them to come together and jointly work to try and gain control of the office, not that there was control to be gained in the first place. At least if they were together they wouldn't fight over the first aid kit anymore.

And the more Pam thought about it, even though it was not the most pleasant of thoughts, she became more and more devoted to the idea of their union. At certain times over the years, Pam felt sympathetic toward Dwight. He was not exactly the dashingly handsome type, and so she wondered if he had ever experienced love and affection, or even just the soft touch of a flirtatious hand on his chest or arm. She wasn't about to put her own self on the line to help him experience those things, but she hoped someone would eventually come along.

And then she thought of Angela. She and Jim had made a bet long ago that Angela would end up an old maid, Pam betting that sooner or later she would meet a nice veterinarian who loved her cats as much as she did and who was just as devout to God as she was. But Jim took a more "realistic" angle, saying that, although he knew it was mean to say, Angela was just too frigid to ever be intimate with a man. They bet a Coke, and if Pam's suspicions proved to be right about this, then Jim would have to pay up immediately.

Throughout the day, she kept seeing little signs that supported her hunch: Angela bought two candy bars, and later Dwight was eating one of them, and at Jim's barbeque they were standing a little too close to each other for just a "friendly" conversation. She was almost certain they were more than friends, but then Phyllis said something that quickly made her change her mind. She told the camera crew:

"_Just because two people are hanging out, it doesn't mean that they're together, you know? Like people can just be friends. And I think that it was really unfair to think that there was anything else going on."_

For a couple months, Pam didn't give a second thought to the relationship status of her two coworkers, but she had still secretly wished they were together. She wondered why neither of them seemed to see how great they'd be for each other, and whenever they interacted the slightest bit with each other, Pam found herself almost frustrated that she knew nothing was going to happen between them.

And then Dwight got a concussion. Sure, he did call her "Pan," but he was actually being friendly, and sometimes even funny! It was a revelation to her that he could be like this, and she wondered if he normally acted this way toward women he was interested in. She definitely thought he could charm a few women in his direction if he was like this all the time, but later, she realized he already had. Michael and Jim took him to the hospital, leaving a certain accountant very anxious and concerned, and she even went so far as to eavesdrop in on Pam's phone conversation about Dwight's condition and what the doctors were going to do for him. She thought it was sweet of Angela to be so worried, even though Dwight was going to be fine, and so she was happy to keep their relationship a secret. That's apparently how they wanted things, and so Pam felt she had to oblige. Her Coke would have to wait until Jim found out on his own.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As their union grew, Angela and Dwight seemed to grew as well. Dwight became more coherent to Angela's needs and vice versa. He could predict when his monkey was temperamental or wanted affection. He could sense when she was upset or when she was at peace. He became more nurturing to her needs and let her be independent in her own choices. He included her in his family traditions and made her feel like she was a part of his family. In many ways, she was his family and maybe the only family he was meant to know. Angela became close to Mose, teaching him about virtues and good Christian values and enforcing what Dwight had already passed on to him. She felt like she was part of a family, one that was filled with love and affection. They became more close through the passing months and even in heated arguments like on Michael's Birthday, they seemed to understand one another more.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan didn't know what to say. He just stared off into space, wearing a terrified and grossed out expression. For the rest of the day, he wondered what he should do about his newfound knowledge, and if he should even tell anyone… In the end, he decided to deny the whole thing to himself, but he knew he would never be able to eat cookies again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Angela and Dwight had become more of a two-headed pair, much to Dwight's liking and began scheming their own plans for conquering the office. They made up plans for attack and discussed several strategies to take over. Dwight felt like he was betraying Michael with many of his plans, knowing that Michael was always a good friend to him, but when it came to Angela, he would kill if it would let him see her special smile only reserved for him. Unfortunately, their plan had failed. Dwight felt terrible betraying Michael and was grateful to have his forgiveness, only after he performed certain tasks for him. But what Dwight feared the most was how Angela might react to his failure. He couldn't live with himself if she couldn't see him as her chivalrous prince but only as a two-bit chump. His worries were put at bay however when Angela slipped into his bed that evening and held him in a warm embrace. He knew that he might not have won the battle for the office, but he won the one that mattered, he won his woman's respect.

As they approached their one-year anniversary, they shared a bond that could not be broken. Dwight didn't have to find happiness in plastic figurines or on the printed page; he found all the happiness in the world in the arms of her love. Angela didn't have to search for joy in the Bible or through community service, she had all the joy she could ever need in the warm embrace of her knight in shining armor. They learned not only to search for happiness in each other, but search for happiness within themselves. Having each other in their lives however made that all the more easy to find. They began to make decisions that impacted both of their lives, spending nights over each others homes, leaving toothbrushes or clothing garments in each dresser drawers, having a side of the bed. These small things impacted the lives of two people who had thought that these small but distinct decisions would never be available to them. Having making them together was almost as wonderful as making them at all.

Of course, their relationship was still under wraps for over a year, and was only apparent to Pam. Angela eventually became relieved that she could come to someone about her relationship, ask questions and maybe help her with her situations that she couldn't express to Dwight. However, Dwight found it becoming more and more difficult to hide his love for Angela when a certain preppy freak came waltzing into the office with a mission to seed control. When their relationship seemed that it would be leaked, Dwight put it upon himself to shed Angela form the misery of humiliation. He spared her and quit. It broke his heart as well as Angela's and their time apart was nearly unbearable. Angela missed seeing him across the room and knowing that if she ever needed assurance that there was a God, she could hold Dwight's hand for comfort. Dwight missed his precious pet and longed for her each day he was away. He was on a quest for employment but all he'd rather do was be in a warm embrace with his angel. Only when Dwight was reinstated did Angela feel at peace and Dwight felt home again.

As many relationships tend to do, certain things become stale. Fortunately, this never happened with Dwight and Angela. They constantly found ways of spicing up their love life. Role-play was always an option but Angela had always found herself a sucker for heroic tales of bravery. One in particular kept them pretty busy for weeks.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jim washed his hands and looked at his face in the mirror. He exhaled heavily, knowing that he would have a black eye or a cut cheek if it weren't for Dwight. _Dwight_. He shook his head, remembering all the pranks pulled on him and all the secret ridiculing, but in the end, he knew his rival had actually saved him. He knew he should've felt ashamed for not being able to defend himself, but he only seemed to feel frustrated that Dwight wouldn't let him repay him. No display case for his bubbleheads, no complementary beer, and not even a certificate of bravery would be received. Jim dried his hands and walked out of the bathroom, accepting defeat.

Then he saw them. He was stunned for a split second, slack-jawed over what he was witnessing. Then he realized he needed to not be seen, so he dashed back into the bathroom. He paced around for a short while, processing the last few seconds: Dwight and Angela, the two most unlikely people to ever be in a relationship with each other, much less make out in the office, were in fact making out in the office. The thought flashed through his mind that he owed Pam a Coke, but he knew he wouldn't be able to give it to her until the awkwardness between them had passed.

But then he felt oddly proud of Dwight. Dwight was annoying, conceited, and only seemed to irritate Jim—and all his other coworkers for that matter—on a daily basis. He never thought in a million years that Dwight would be able to get a girlfriend; much less the one girl who Jim thought was too reserved for any man to get close to. But somehow he had, and at the very least they seemed to have a good physical connection. Jim stared, mouth gaping and eyes wide into the camera, still somewhat in shock from what he had just seen, but then it came to him. He knew the perfect way to repay Dwight for saving him:

"_I... will never say a word. And now, we are even."_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Dwight and Angela began their next attack plan on taking over the office, Andrew Bernard seemed to be not as a threat as earlier perceived. He seemed helpful and easily manipulative. When it came time to put the plan to work, Andy was an easy target to get him off Michael's good side by eliminating him from the competition. Before they knew it, their plan had actually worked and Dwight was boss, master of their domain. Sadly, it didn't last long. As the initial disappointment wore off, Dwight and Angela got back to the swing of things. Dwight didn't feel ashamed for failing once again and Angela still respected her man, if not more so for taking defeat with such composure. They knew that regardless of circumstances, they would support each other.

As the summer passed on, Angela and Dwight seemed to become more domestic with every passing day. Dwight would try new beet recipes from his Great Aunt's cookbook, which she used during the Fascist movement in the early 1930s. Angela seemed to feel more like a wife than a girlfriend, making sure his linen was pressed and that he fixed certain things either in her home or his. They had found a simple rhythm that gave them the freedom to do their own adventures as well as enjoy the comfort of each other's company. Angela knew that the word trust was something that could never be taken lightly, and she had always had trust issues from when she was a young child and her sister misused her trust. But with Dwight, she knew that with every touch on her shoulder or on her waist or when they were alone in the dark and she could feel him blush as he held her in his arms, there was never any alterative motive. She knew that she could firmly leave her trust in Dwight and he did the same. Trust, that's what it came down to in the end. Angela trusted Dwight and Dwight trusted Angela. But was trust and pride going to be the demise of them?

It was a steamy hot summer day in late August. Angela had just finished the last of that quarter's taxes and was ready for the autumn to present itself. She had always enjoyed autumn. It was a time of change, a time for giving thanks and a time for reflection. She had always enjoyed watching the leaves turn the different tones of red, orange and yellow. It was also when Dwight would start his annual tradition of beet harvesting. All the local Schrutes would congregate at the beet farm and harvest the new growth for the winter. Dwight had invited her the previous year. It was almost like a jamboree, with contests, bonfire stories and urban legends, generations of Schrutes displaying love and affection, letting their guard down and enjoying family. Angela was overwhelmed by the event, but by the end of the weekend, she felt that she was even closer with Dwight, and she too felt she was a Schrute. Being a Schrute was something that Angela was thinking of a lot recently. She wondered what life would be if she were to take his name, how her life would be better, more full of purpose. She imagined how their wedding would be like, nothing sinful like Phyllis' wedding, just traditional. Only her, Dwight and God. Maybe Pam. Regardless of who was there, she knew that she would be loved by the only man that has ever made her feel more than she ever thought she could be, let her be the person she was meant to be.

Dwight had always the late summer. It was before the weather changed to autumn and sir seemed to have electricity, as if something could happen any moment to change the course of your life. As he reflected on his life, he couldn't think of anything that could make his life better than it already was. He had the love of an amazing woman, his business was booming due to the increased popularity of organic vegetables in the western market. He was doing nearly twice the amount of work that any of his coworkers was doing and he still had the friendship of his boss, when only months prior was close to being history. He even began to befriend his one time enemy, Bernard. He honestly thought that life couldn't be any better. He was optimistic about the future, where Angela and him would be in ten years or so. He always knew that eventually he would make an honest woman out of her and share with her traditional Schrute wedding. It was known for its rather bleak content but with Angela at his side, nothing could ever be bleak when she was around. She was the sunshine of his life, she hurled the moon, and she captured every star in her eyes. She was his monkey, his best friend, his Angela. As Dwight took in the view from the parking lot and watching the sun set over the loading docks, he felt a sharp wind. It gave him a chill down his spine, only giving Dwight one clear thought… change was coming.

Dwight could never fathom that only weeks ago, Angela and him were happy. She was his savior, his queen, his Angela. As he looked across the office and watched his one-time-enemy-turned-friend-turned-enemy-again speaking to Angela publicly for the office to see, he couldn't even express his anguish. He couldn't express his humiliation. All he could do was sit and star and watch the only light in his life fade away from him. How could he have known that his one act of random kindness would be his end?

_Angela came down to meet Dwight, "Hey."_

_Dwight looked at her sympathetically, "Hey Monkey."_

_Angela looked about hopefully, "Any problems?"_

_Dwight scoffed, "Well you left the TV on, and your cat is dead."_

_Angela screamed, "What?!"_

_Dwight shrugged, "Sparkles, the white one, is dead_.

_Angela corrected him, "Sprinkles."_

_Dwight nodded, "That was the sick one, right?"_

_Angela nodded shakily, "Uh-huh. But I thought she had more time."_

_Dwight shook his head, "No."_

_Angela was shaking from head to toe, "Did she look... When you saw her how was she looking?"_

_Dwight nodded, "Really dead. Like a... just a dead cat."_

_Angela began to tremble again, sobbing dreadfully. Dwight came and put a supportive hand on her shoulder. "So... Hey come on, don't be sad, just... OK... just. She's in a better place."_

_Angela sniffed, "Alright."_

_Dwight patted her shoulder before heading upstairs. He stopped short, "Actually the place that she's in is the freezer, because of the odor."_

_Angela continued to sob in the stairwell feeling more alone than she ever felt in her life._

_Dwight and Angela were in a local restaurant eating dinner. Dwight was smiling across the table at the vision that was Angela, "Are you enjoying your vegetarian noodles?"_

_Angela nodded, trying not to make eye contact, "Very much. How's your meat?"_

_Dwight nodded, "Dry. Delicious."_

_Angela smirked slightly, "I heard a joke today."_

_Dwight chuckled, "Oh, that's funny."_

_Angela frowns slightly, "Yes it was."_

_Dwight didn't notice her demeanor change, "Are you enjoying your mineral water?"_

_Angela put her fork down, "I can't do this. I can't be with you. Every time I look in your eyes I see Sprinkles' stiff lifeless body."_

_Dwight shook his head, "Then don't look in my eyes. Look right here points to middle of forehead above the eyes, it's an old sales trick."_

_Angela shook her head more vigorously, "I'm sorry. I gave this everything I could." She was preparing to leave._

_Dwight spoke up a little louder, "No, please don't do this, monkey."_

_She collected her purse and looked at Dwight one last time, "I will leave your toothbrush on top of your tire tomorrow morning." She stood up and left a shocked Dwight alone at the table. _

Angela watched as Dwight was working at his computer. She noticed him glancing at her frequently throughout the day. She tried not to notice his stares, but his longing glances ate her up alive. How could he do what he did and yet all she wanted is his arms wrapped around her? She tried to isolate him from her general thought pattern, trying to disconnect from him with every passing day. She had never felt do betrayed, so misused, so hurt. The supposed love of her life gave her the greatest pain she had ever known. He was supposed to love her, protect her, and keep her trust. What kind of man takes away something that means the world to you and yet expects you to still respect them? She looked at him again, catching him in the rare moments of the day when he was staring at her back. As she looked at Dwight, she noticed her new love interest only just beyond her old flame. She smirked slightly at the thought of her being with Andy, the one guy who single-handed brought Dwight to the mercy of the court and separated them for a few weeks. She could only explain that Andy was different than Dwight, very different. He expressed his affection for Angela openly I the office, much to Angela's dislike. He sang constantly and irritated everyone in the office, much to Angela's dislike. But he was different. He didn't kill innocent animals. He liked animals. He enjoyed animals. And he didn't kill animals. He respected her animals and respected Angela. She thought that Dwight had respected her. She thought that Dwight had enough pride in her to have that reflect on their relationship. But all that it should was how much a sham their love was. It made her blood boil just to think of all the things she imagined and dreamed of, a life with Dwight. She had a life with a liar.

As everyone was getting their coats and jackets preparing for the November winds, Angela and Andy made their way toward the door. She hadn't seen Dwight for most of the afternoon, most likely due to a sales call. As they approached Andy's car, Angela noticed a tall figure near the end of the parking. Due to the new floodlights, Angela almost instantly recognized Dwight. Without warning, her heart raced. He was reorganizing his trunk, lifting boxes and cases from the deep confines. As he removed a rather large box from the trunk, he noticed the two figures near the other end of the parking lot. On instinct he waved at her, but played it off as waving at Andy. Andy, whom was oblivious to this awkward moment waved cheerily at Dwight. Angela pressed her purse strap closer to her body, trying to gain control of her speedy heart rate. As Andy moved around her to open the car door for her, Angela continued to look over and Dwight, and he looked at her. Small butterflies floated around each other's stomachs, both wondering if the other one noticed. As they continued to look at each other, a blustery wind whipped around the building and breathed life in to the stale evening. Before Angela could blink, she remembered late-night fireworks and secret agents. He remembered the buzz in the air and a small hand aching for his touch. At the memory, they both managed a small smile. For a moment, Dwight thought he saw her special smile, the one she only reserved for him. It took all of Dwight's strength to not walk over there and claim what was rightfully his but something stood in his way, his pride. His pride told him that if it was real, they would find their way back to each other. Angela felt the strain of her pride as she longed to be in his arms again, but she knew she should never back down. She knew that her pride would set her in the right direction but she was afraid that the direction it was taking her wasn't the one she needed to go down. As the wind decreased, a surprising feeling filled them both. Change is coming.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Thank you all so much for reading! We really appreciate you taking a chance on two girls with a crazy dream to write an overly done type of fic in a rather saturated category, and we hope you'll look out for more from us in the future. Currently an episode fic is in the works: some enemies become friends, some lovers quarrel, and Michael, of course, does something stupid. Needless to say, you won't want to miss it. And we'd like to remind you to review our story, because how else are we going to know that you liked what you read? Well, what are you waiting for?_

_Thanks everyone!_


End file.
